Method of and means for finishing photographic pictures



(No Model.)

N. L. STONE. METHOD 0E AND MEANS POE PINISHING PHOTOGRAPEIG PICTURES.

Patented" Oct. 9, 1883.

Unirse STATES PATENT Orricr.

NATHAN L. STONE, OF POTSDAM, NEXY YORK.

METHOD 0F AND MEANS FOR FINISHING PHTOGRAPHIC PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,34?, d..ted October 9, 1883.

Application led June 80, 1853. (No modehl To all whom it may con/067111,.'

Be it known that I, NATHAN L. STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at -Potsdam, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Means for Finishing Photographic Pictures, of which the following is a speciiieation.

rihe object of myinvcntionis to improve the finish of photographic pictures in an economical and efficient manner, my invention being more particularly applicable to photographs which are enlarged copies of old or inferior pictures. I accomplish this object by the use of transparent plates having opaque patches or fields of paint, paper, or other suitable materials, such opaque patches or fields being ot suitable size and form to cover the parts ofthe print which it is desired to leave unaffected by the light when printing in ne'w backgrounds and darkening or softening other portions of the picture. l also form groundwork for new figures or dresses, or for furniture or other accessories, by the use of eut-outs 7 or patterns shaped to correspond to the outline ofthe iigure or of the figure and space for furniture, tvc., said patterns being left uncutaway, so as to cover the features and any other light parts of the print-as, for example, the hands or the shirt-bosom-which should remain uudarkcned.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l indicates a transparent plate, A, provided with opaque patches or fields a. Fig. 2 represents the form of' cut-out or pattern B used in forming groundwork for new figures or dresses.

My invention is carried into effect in the following manner: The existing background of the negative is first stopped out by covering it with paint or opaque paper, so that the background of the picture will be left white when. printing the figure. A printhavingbeen made from a negative, such as j ust described, a transparent plate, preferably of glass, is laid on said print, and an opaque paint .is applied to said plate over such portions of the printas the face, hands, and other light parts of the picture*as should remain undarkened, the opaque paint being for the purpose of stopping out the light from these portions. Vhile for this stopping-out purpose I deem paint to be preferable, as it maybe quickly and exactly applied by a small brush tothe parts desired, l do not wish to limit myself to the use of paint for this purpose, as paper or other thin opaque substances may be used instead. l'heu paper is employed, it is preferable to make a print on pieces of photographic paper of the face, hands, or other parts to be covered. These pieces of paper are then trimmed into suitable size and shape to cover these parts, and are then affixed in proper position on the glass by paste or other suitable adhesive substance. A print having been made from the negative from which the background has been stopped out, as above described, a background negative having a plain central portion, or being plain at suoli other portions as will come over the figure or the figure and draperies, is next laid over the print, and the stopping-out plate is laid over the background negative. The print, with its superposed background negative and plate, is then exposed to the action of diffused light until the background is printed in and the uncovered portions of the foreground, embracing the ligure or the figure and draperies, are softened by being darkened tothe desired shade. In effecting this result it is obvious that the opaque patches or fields may be applied direetly to the background negative, instead of to a separate plate, as above indicated.

In forming groundwork for new figures, clothing, or dresses, or for furniture or other accessories, the background and figure are first preferably stopped out from the negative, leaving only the head. If, however, the outline ofthe figure is not to be changed and the background of the negative is in good condi.- tion, said background may be left unchanged. A print from the negative thus prepared is then made, and out of this print the form or pattern for the groundwork of the new figure is cut, leaving such portions of t-he pattern uncut away, as will be necessary to cover the parts to be unaffected by the light in forming the groundwork for the new iigure. To faeilitate the adjustment of this pattern to the print, it is cut away at the top through some part of the head, (as through the eyes,) so that it may be readily matched to the underlying print. Either the background or the groundwork for the new ilgure may next be printed `in. If the latter is to be done first, a transparent plate is laid over the print, the cut-out or pattern is placed on said plate, and a second transparent plate placed on the pattern,to hold the latter smoothly on the rst plate, The print with its superposed plates and pattern is then exposed for a few minutes to the action of diffused light until a groundwork of the desired shade is produced. In making this exposure a protector of card-board or other suitable material is placed over the upper part of the head and background where the pat-v tern has been cut away, to facilitate matching. After the groundwork for the new figure has been formed, the background, if not already completed, will be printed in, care being taken to cover the head and such other parts as the light should be excluded from. After the print thus produced has been toned and mounted, a little handwerk outlining by an artist will complete the picture, thus apparently arraying the subject of the picture in av garb quite different from the original; or, if de.

sired, considerably changing the form or position of the person represented.

If the subject of the picture has been taken in a light or rough suit or dress, 'and it is desired to darken or smoothen the same, a cutout or pattern formed'in'the manner above described, and cut away so as to expose only the dress or clothing, may belaid on the print in the manner hereinbefore referred to f or forming the new grour dwork, and then by exposing the print to the action of light for a suitable ltime the clothing or dress can be darkcned to any desired shade.

draperies with some opaque substance, which may be applied to the ybackground negative or to a transparent plate laid over the same, and then exposing the background and the uncovered portions of the figure and draperies of the print or picture to the action 'of dif- 3. rIhat method of forming groundwork for l new figures or dresses or forjdarkening the* latter which consists in placing a transparent plate over a photographic print, laying a cutout or pattern in proper position over said print on said plate, then securing said pattern in place'by a second transparent plate, and finally exposing said print with its superposcd plates Vand pattern to the action of light, substantially as described. y

. 4. That method of rendering a photograph of a light or rough dress dark or smooth in appearance which consists in covering a photographic print with 4a pattern which is cut away sov as toexpose only ,such dress, and thensubjecting the exposed picture of the dress to thc action of light to darken or smooth the same, substantially as set forth.

5. A cut-out or pattern for forming groundwork for new figures in photographic prints, such pattern having a cut-away portion conforming exactly in shape to the outline of the proposed new figure, substantially as described In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

f NATHAN L. STONE.

Vitnesses EWELL A. DICK, HENRY CALvER. 

